Dutch epidemiologist rewarded by Folksam

This year's Folksam Award for epidemiological research goes to Professor Albert Hofman at the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at Erasmus University in Rotterdam.

Professor Hofman's research is focused on risk factors for neurological and cardiovascular diseases in the elderly. One of his theses is that the reason that disease risks increase with age is not age per se, but that fact that risk factors accumulate as we grow older. Hofman is principal investigator of the Rotterdam Study, in which large amounts of data are collected, including blood samples for molecular and genetic analyses. One main conclusion from the study is that there are great and largely untapped opportunities for the prevention of disease in the elderly.

"Albert Hofman is a very worthy recipient of this award," says Anders Ahlbom, chair of the awards committee at Karolinska Institutet. "Hofman is scientifically very active and his research has great impact. He has also had a significant part to play in the education of epidemiologists both in and outside Europe."

Professor Hofman launched and still runs the Netherlands Institute for Health Sciences, which has a broad and advanced course prospectus. The Rotterdam Study offers students opportunities for doctoral education and participating in projects.

The Folksam Award for Epidemiological Research is awarded to internationally outstanding researchers engaged in scientific work in which epidemiological material is used for the purposes of prevention in the field of public health. Prize winners are selected by a panel of judges appointed by Karolinska Institutet. The prize of SEK 100,000 will be awarded at Karolinska Institutet's installation ceremony in the Berwald Hall on 30 October 2012. Professor Hofman will be delivering a lecture in the Nobel Forum on the same day.